I just bought a Hi-Power MKIII with a factory hi-cap mag on Saturday. It was never fired but shows some slight oxidation from poor storage and had no box. So I got it for $420. Anyway, is it normal for the feed ramp to have an 45 degree angle cut on its right side as viewed from the chamber side. And the frame too slide fit is ver loose. Is this common on the MKIII Hi-powers. I'm new to hi-power and would appreciate the help.
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Hi-power questions for a newbie
- Thread starter Icopy
- Start date
Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Hello. The taper on the feed ramp is normal.
HPs are not known for a tight slide-to-frame fit, but I don't know how much play you mean from your post. In any event, if the barrel to slide fit is tight, it'll shoot tight groups when fired by hand and with loads it likes. This of course assumes that the barrel's not pitted or shot out. Best.
HPs are not known for a tight slide-to-frame fit, but I don't know how much play you mean from your post. In any event, if the barrel to slide fit is tight, it'll shoot tight groups when fired by hand and with loads it likes. This of course assumes that the barrel's not pitted or shot out. Best.
Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Hello. I don't know why the taper's there on the feed ramp, but it's been there as long as I've been using these pistols, which is about 30 years. Best and good shooting.
David Roberson
New member
Stephen is exactly right about slide-to-frame fit. I've seen some HPs that had an audible rattle from the loose fit. They shot fine, just like almost every HP.
Chad Young
New member
Don't forget that the Hi-Power is a military design pistol. This means that it has loose tolerances which allow it to function in very adverse conditions. This does not, however, make them inaccurate. Even the ones that shake, rattle, and roll are often very accurate! My friend has one which he recently procured that shoots very well even though one can wiggle the slide to and fro with ease.
Before you start counting the 200 rounds for the zero malfunction test, you might want to give the pistol a hundred or so rounds of fmj for break-in. My most recent BHP, a Capitan, has never had a functioning problem, and is currently at 600 rounds. Past specimens, however, weren't as dependable initially, but came around after a break=-in followed by thorough cleaning and lubrication.
G. Kennedy
New member
The Hi-Power has an integral feed ramp which is part of the barrel. It has always been that way and is there to guide the round from the mag to the chamber during feeding. Many of the newer auto's use this system.
You might want to have the chamber checked, the MKIII's are known to come with tight chambers. This can be easily fixed by a competent smith in a few minutes with a chambering reamer.
If the barrel has a nice tight fit in the slide while in battery it should shoot pretty good. This is the key to accuracy much more so than slide to frame fit....
You might want to have the chamber checked, the MKIII's are known to come with tight chambers. This can be easily fixed by a competent smith in a few minutes with a chambering reamer.
If the barrel has a nice tight fit in the slide while in battery it should shoot pretty good. This is the key to accuracy much more so than slide to frame fit....
G. Kennedy
New member
Also, be sure to thoroughly clean and lube it before you shoot it, that way you know any problems aren't from improper maintenance or neglect.